Jesse Scheckner
Freshman U.S. Rep. Mike Haridopolos’ first hearing as Chair of the House Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee promises to be out of this world.
The hearing, set for Feb. 26, will feature an update on NASA’s progress with the Artemis program to reestablish a human presence on the moon as a springboard for future missions to Mars.
A press note from Haridopolos’ Office said subcommittee members will hear about the project’s progress, how it could be cost-effectively accelerated and how current efforts align with the goal of Martian exploration.
It’s been more than half a century since American astronauts stepped on the moon, and there’s a new space race with China to return, said Haridopolos, a Brevard County Republican.
“The Artemis program is our ride to this important milestone, and a crucial first step in our journey to Mars,” he said. “I look forward to discussing NASA’s progress, the challenges ahead, and the importance of winning the race back to the Moon.”
The Wednesday hearing will be held at 10 a.m. in the Rayburn House Office Building. Witnesses will include Scott Pace, Director of the Space Policy Institute at George Washington University, and Dan Dumbacher, an adjunct professor at Purdue University.
The title of the hearing: “Step by Step: The Artemis Program and NASA’s Path to Human Exploration of the Moon, Mars, and Beyond.”
Republican U.S. Rep. Brian Babin of Texas, who chairs the House Science, Space and Technology Committee under which Haridopolos’ subcommittee operates, said U.S. leadership in space exploration is critical, and Artemis is “key to securing our long-term role at the helm with our values at the forefront.”
“Next week, I look forward to gaining valuable insights from our distinguished witnesses … to better assess the progress,” he said in a statement. “As we continue supporting Artemis, strong oversight is essential to keeping it on course, ensuring efficiency, and driving its success.”
Formerly established in 2017 under President Donald Trump as a replacement for programs laid out under his White House predecessor, Barack Obama, the Artemis program was originally scheduled to launch in 2016 but hit several snags. It finally launched on Nov. 16, 2022, with the unmanned Artemis I mission. A second, crewed mission (Artemis II) is expected to take place in April 2026, followed by a third mission by mid-2027 in which an American crew is to land on the moon for the first time since Apollo 17 in December 1972.
Seven more manned missions to the moon are planned through 2035, not counting support missions. The 2035 mission, Artemis X, is to include astronauts staying on the moon for several months.
Activities at the planned moon won’t overlap with those at the International Space Station, if Elon Musk has anything to say about it. The adviser to Trump and the owner of space exploration company SpaceX, which received multiple Artemis-related contracts under Trump and his successor, Joe Biden, said Thursday that while the decision to do so is “up to the President,” he’d like to see 26-year-old station pulled from orbit “2 years from now.”
“It has served its purpose,” Musk wrote on X. “There is very little incremental utility. Let’s go to Mars.”
One comment
Michael K
February 20, 2025 at 7:59 pm
Perhaps Elon and his pet Trump should go to the moon….